“We’re moving into a future where these drones will fly themselves all over the countryside,” McKenna says. “But the long-term future of this software is that it will fly people around.” With the UK’s National Grid, which operates the country’s energy supply, the relationship has been more concrete, after the organization committed funds to accelerate… Continue reading Autonomous Drones Could Soon Run the UK’s Energy Grid
Author: Wired Magazine
Crypto’s Free Rein May Be Coming to a Close
In the UK, which is Europe’s biggest financial center, the situation is still in flux, but stablecoins appear to be a priority too. The British government is intent on forging a new identity as a buccaneering, business-friendly actor in a post-Brexit world. In a recent speech, economic secretary to the treasury John Glen announced that… Continue reading Crypto’s Free Rein May Be Coming to a Close
Transport Apps Promised to Eliminate Friction. But at What Cost?
In the vision of the “frictionless” city that is held by many in tech, where virtually every city service, human interaction, and consumer experience is to be mediated by an app or digital service that not only cuts out the need to deal directly with another human but places technology at the heart of those… Continue reading Transport Apps Promised to Eliminate Friction. But at What Cost?
Sharing Music Rescued My Relationship With My Teenager
It started by accident. At the suggestion of a friend, I sent my 15-year-old the Belle and Sebastian song “If You’re Feeling Sinister.” “Cool song,” she texted back. “I like it.” It was only five words, but it was the most she’d intentionally communicated to me in months. Over the previous few years, my once… Continue reading Sharing Music Rescued My Relationship With My Teenager
Which Amazon Fire Tablet Is Best for You?
Amazon’s Fire tablets are some of the only high-profile, ultra-affordable tablets around. The prices seem too good to be true—and in some ways, they are—but Fire tablets are also completely functional, reasonably capable devices. To help you decide if one of these slates is right for you, we reviewed every model. These are our unfiltered… Continue reading Which Amazon Fire Tablet Is Best for You?
Secrets of the Moon’s Permanent Shadows Are Coming to Light
On the eve of this new era of moon landings, a slew of fresh studies of PSRs have revealed that these shadowed regions are even stranger than scientists imagined. What will we find lurking in the shadows? “I don’t know what we’re going to see,” said Robinson, the lead scientist for next year’s robotic mission.… Continue reading Secrets of the Moon’s Permanent Shadows Are Coming to Light
Bote’s Inflatable Stand-Up Paddleboard Packs Big Summer Fun
Nothing says summer like a day on the water. Be it sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, inner tubing, or some other method of floating, getting to the liquid is the time-honored way to stay cool in the heat. Of all the ways you can get on the water, one of the easiest, and most fun, is… Continue reading Bote’s Inflatable Stand-Up Paddleboard Packs Big Summer Fun
Robocalls Are (Finally) Being Shaken Up
Hey, have you heard that your car’s extended warranty is about to expire? That’s what the disembodied robot voice on the other end of the phone wants you to think, anyway. Fortunately, these incessant spam calls may soon be getting less frequent. This week, the US Federal Communications Commission closed a loophole in a policy… Continue reading Robocalls Are (Finally) Being Shaken Up
The Supreme Court Is Jeopardizing Federal Climate Action
Today, in a ruling on a nonexistent plan with nonexistent harms to the people who brought the suit, the Supreme Court took an opportunity to curb the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the power sector’s carbon emissions. In a summer of big decisions from the US Supreme Court, West Virginia v. Environmental… Continue reading The Supreme Court Is Jeopardizing Federal Climate Action
The Fight Over Which Uses of AI Europe Should Outlaw
In 2019, guards on the borders of Greece, Hungary, and Latvia began testing an artificial-intelligence-powered lie detector. The system, called iBorderCtrl, analyzed facial movements to attempt to spot signs a person was lying to a border agent. The trial was propelled by nearly $5 million in European Union research funding, and almost 20 years of… Continue reading The Fight Over Which Uses of AI Europe Should Outlaw